Feather tracts on birds all have fascinating names:, Primaries, Secondaries, Auxilaries, Scapulars and what about the Alula! There’s a whole family of Coverts; Medium, Lesser and Greater. Even the Primaries and Secondaries are split into groups: Inner and outer. The moulting of these feather tracts the order in which they are replaced and when during the year the change takes place is fascinating.

It is interesting to note the changes in the Caister Rose Coloured Starling since it first arrived. It is now moving from a nondescript puce starling towards a pink and black stunner … a feather at a time.